


An Invitation

by PrplPnk



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Episode 111 Spoilers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Non-descript nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:35:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26800762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrplPnk/pseuds/PrplPnk
Summary: Caleb dreams of an old friend, but is it truly a dream?
Relationships: Mollymauk Tealeaf & Caleb Widogast, Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 4
Kudos: 76





	An Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> This is 110% a self-indulgent little story. Enjoy! :)

Caleb sank into the hot bath with a satisfied sigh. The Nascent Nine-sided Tower had been a success, not only in its creation, but in the approval of his companions. Despite spending as much time with them as he had, Caleb still worried he didn’t know them that well. The bright smiles, awe-laden eyes, and ecstatic expressions proved him wrong and the wizard allowed himself this small moment in the warm water to be pleased with himself, pushing away the stress from that evening’s tense meeting with his former teacher and friends to the far back of his mind for later.

He relaxed, keeping the images of the other’s faces as they had been shown their rooms at the forefront of his thoughts, and closed his eyes. The room around him was silent, save for some very muffled sounds from the rest of the Mighty Nein as they explored the tower below and the soft patter of fae-cat feet as they completed tasks. The quiet was comforting and Caleb felt himself begin to slip into warm darkness as he calmed further, letting it swallow his mind as, for the first time in quite a while, he felt at peace.

“I cannot _believe_ you didn’t make me a room!” came a familiar voice, the tone equal parts playful and offended.

A sad smile touched the wizard’s lips as a frustrated huff reached his ears.

“Guess I have no choice but to stay in your room as compensation.”

Caleb slowly opened his heavy eyelids at that, his gaze very quickly and easily spotting the tall form standing beside the nearby four-post bed. Mollymauk Tealeaf reached out to touch one of the posts, his handsome profile frowning a bit as he looked at the bed covered with basic sheets and a thick, beige blanket. “So bland! I’ll have to request several changes, Caleb.”

“Perhaps a circus?” the wizard asked, a small spark of pain flickering in his heart as he watched the tiefling. He would be lying if he said he hadn’t thought of making a room at least dedicated to Molly, and did have a bedroom mapped out in what Caleb could guess the purple devil would have liked. But it _hurt_ , a pain not dissimilar to when Caleb thought of his parents, to know Molly would never see it. Instead, it would only be a reminder that he had _failed_.

Metal jangled as Mollymauk turned his head toward the still bathing wizard. His darkened lips turned upward in a wide smile, sharp fangs almost gleaming as bright as the dangling baubles from his curved horns. “For a start.” He stepped toward the bath, the robe draped over his lavender body was tied loosely at the waist and was just as bright and garish as the cloak he had always worn, covered in symbols of different deities in several eye-catching colors and dizzying designs. A portion of his chest was exposed as the right side of the robe slid away and Molly’s solid red, critical gaze fell upon the metal tub.

“For _another_ ,” the tiefling continued, propping his left hand upon his hip, “this bath is far too small. How about something that can fit at least nine?”

A corner of Caleb’s mouth twitched in amusement. “You wish to bathe with everyone?”

Molly shrugged with his left shoulder, smile turning a bit mischievous. “Taking a bath with friends is therapeutic and a great trust-building exercise, I find. Nothing brings people together like being naked around each other.”

“That a fact?” the redhead whispered, his mind briefly going back to that day in Zadash’s bathhouse, now so long ago; a different life, a time that now didn’t seem so bad. Not for the first time, Caleb found himself wishing for just one of those days back, with him.

Mollymauk’s red eyes stared at the wizard for a moment, his grin softening a bit before pulling the cord around his waist free and letting his robe fall from his slender form to pool at his feet. “It is,” he said, confidence forever strengthening every word he spoke. A trait Caleb always envied.

_…One… two… three,_ Caleb’s mind whispered as his gaze quickly found the red eyes hidden within the elaborate tattoos across his body, each one exactly where he remembered them. _What ties you to it?_ he wondered silently, images of the Eyes of Nine flashing within his head for a moment.

Caleb felt the tiefling’s gaze on him, gently pulling him out of his musings and sending a small unsettled sensation through his body that was more of a small thrill than fear. Those eyes of Molly’s were always a bit off-putting, lacking pupils and irises, it was difficult to track just where that purple devil was looking most of the time. But in this moment, as Molly slowly stepped into the tub, the wizard was certain where his attention was.

Pale cheeks already slightly flushed from the warm water slightly darkened further as Caleb forced himself to keep his blue gaze locked with Mollymauk’s and not drift further down his body. The tiefling slowly sank into the tub, some of the water splashing out and landing on the floor as he settled himself atop the redhead’s thighs.

“See? This is far too cramped!” Molly complained, even as his tone remained playful. “There won’t be enough water to go around like this!”

The weight in Caleb’s lap was somehow comforting, _real_ , even if he knew this wasn’t, couldn’t be. He was about to point out that he didn’t think the circus performer would find too much to argue against being so close to some of their friends, but the thought died as his gaze dropped away from Molly’s and caught sight of a large, jagged vertical scar that ran down his sternum.

Immediately the wizard’s mind was filled with memories of blood and loss and pain… and failure.

Raising his right hand from beneath the water, Caleb gently touched the mark, his expression heavy with guilt as he traced the wound with his fingers.

“That wasn’t your fault.” Molly’s voice was surprisingly gentle, his left hand covering Caleb’s.

The wizard swallowed thickly against the burning he felt touch his eyes and slightly shook his head. “I should’ve--”

“What could you have done?” Mollymauk asked.

Caleb’s brow furrowed; thousands of different scenarios had gone around in his head since that day, things he should have done instead of what he did do. “I should have used all I had on him, risked getting too close. Then maybe you wouldn’t--”

“Then _you_ would be dead.”

Caleb again raised his eyes to meet the tiefling’s. Molly’s expression was soft, but serious as he leaned in close to the redhead’s face.

“You are important, you _matter_ , Caleb Widogast. Without you, this group would be lost. I’ve seen it, you know. You are more than your transport spells--which are impressive, by the way. They wouldn’t be safe while they rest or have someone to ground them when things get a little too chaotic. Nott-- _Veth_ would still be forever cursed to be a goblin. And _this_ \--” Molly paused to gaze at the room around them for a moment before again looking at the wizard, “--this _amazing place_ , full of comfort and support, wouldn’t exist.”

Dark purple lips curved into a proud smile. “You’re doing great, darling. Don’t ever tell yourself otherwise.”

His vision blurred as the burning sensation of tears returned and Caleb looked away, staring instead at the hand holding his, silently watching as Molly gently threaded their fingers together and squeezed.

Caleb returned the pressure, the pain within his heart spiking as he continued to struggle against it, tears welling within his blue eyes.

“...miss you,” he mumbled through trembling lips, a tear tumbling down his cheek. He had hoped it to be something a bit more heartfelt and less blubbery and silently cursed his sudden inability to keep his emotions in check.

A soft touch under his chin made the wizard again gaze up into solid red eyes, Molly’s soft smile genuine as he looked at Caleb with fondness, his voice a gentle whisper when he spoke again, “Then find me, Mister Caleb.”

The redhead barely had time to register the confusion at those words; _find you?_

A sudden shove to his shoulder jostled Caleb and he sat up in the bath, blinking rapidly as the purple tiefling that had been on his lap was gone and his gaze fell onto the touch gently grasping his upper arm.

Veth stood beside the tub, worry etched onto her halfling face. “Are you alright, Caleb?”

The wizard’s eyes quickly took in his bedroom, noting it was only the two of them present and nodded with a small, sad sigh. _Another dream…._ “ _Ja_ , I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Veth’s expression turned skeptical. “You were sleeping in the bath, which is _super dangerous_ , you know; water is bad enough, but to get into a full tub of it and then ****sleep****?!”

A reassuring smile curved Caleb’s lips as he gently took the halfling’s hand in his own. “I’m sure, Veth. I simply relaxed too much.”

Some tension eased in Veth’s posture, once again replaced by concern. “You were crying, Caleb.”

The wizard’s eyes widened a bit, now noticing the sensation of drying tears on his cheeks. He felt his face flush as he quickly moved to wash away the evidence. “It’s nothing, just…” He smiled again, although it was more melancholy than before. “Just a sad dream.”

Veth was silent for a moment, staring intently into Caleb’s eyes, as if trying to find a different answer. He let her, keeping the dull throb of pain bottled away; this was a hurt he couldn’t share, not yet at least.

With a defeated sigh, the rogue leaned away. “Alright. Just wanted to say goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Caleb replied, his tone a little grateful. “Have a good sleep.”

She nodded, but looked warily at the tub. “Don’t sleep there, please.”

“I promise to get out once you leave.” He couldn’t help the small smile that touched his lips; Veth’s motherly nature always leaving a warm spot in his heart.

Veth still appeared a little doubtful, but left without another word, waving to the wizard as she shut the door behind her.

Caleb stared blankly at the water for a long moment before he moved, those words in Mollymauk’s voice still so clear in his mind, as if the tiefling had actually spoken them.

_“Then find me, Mister Caleb.”_

_Find him…_ It had been some time now since that horrible day, and so far Mollymauk was their only solid lead to this Eyes of Nine _thing_. Maybe… maybe it was time to revisit their old friend.

The thought of seeing his grave again made the throb in his chest pulse. Caleb distracted himself from it by moving, finally standing and removing himself from the still warm water. He thought it over as he dried; it would be a painful place to go, even more so to have to… retrieve some remains for Caduceus to speak to. But perhaps there would be answers. If not, well….

_Then I will at least be able to apologize._

It would probably take some convincing with the others, if he wasn’t outright slugged in the face for suggesting it, but those words continued to whisper, almost as if calling him to action.

_“Then find me, Mister Caleb.”_

A call he wished to answer.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a Comment if you enjoyed! They are my lifeblood in this hellscape year lol. Thank you for reading! <3


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